Drink-driving may cost you your passports, visas

Traffic cops plan to share details of repeat offenders with the Crime Branch: this might just block your chance of obtaining a passport or a visa

Those continuing to mix drinks with driving might find it difficult to get passports and visa issued. Traffic officials are planning to share with the Crime Branch details of motorists caught more than once for drink-driving.

New software is also being developed to effectively track the motorists, and identify repeat-offenders, Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Amit Garg said.

“The idea is to discourage the incidence of drink-driving as it endangers not just the drivers themselves but also others. We are trying to strengthen the ongoing drink-driving programme,” Mr. Garg said.

Sharing data of motorists imprisoned or caught for drink-driving with the Crime Branch would have an adverse impact on the careers, spoil their police records, and affect their chances of getting documents like passports and visas.

“We are concerned about spoiling the careers of motorists, but we cannot allow people to indulge in drink-driving too. The idea behind this step is to deter motorists from mixing drinks and driving,” Mr. Garg said.

With the campaign against drink-driving in the city into its third year, traffic police are planning a slew of new initiatives to further discourage tipsy drivers.

Those with high levels of Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) are also being sent to undergo imprisonment by city courts routinely. This year alone 1,010 motorists have been sentenced to undergo jail-terms ranging from one to 15 days. This year, a total of 11,767 cases have been booked against drink-drivers.